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The following question is from Yésica P.

“My son Akasha is two years and three months old. He is homeschooled. We are looking for a homeschooling method that is recognized internationally–we live in Mexico, and he was born in Colorado. We have followed a Montessori model in his early training and we will continue with this method unless we find another that benefits him more.

I would like to know what homeschooling details I should be aware of in order to give him the most successful homeschooling experience; one that he can integrate his own choices in later in life, and one that does not present obstacles if he chooses an academic journey of his own. Also, I would like recommendations for the focus for this phase in Akasha’s learning.”

Have you homeschooled internationally? Do you have recommendations for what specific focus Yésica should have for her son right now? In the future?

16 Comments and 3 Replies

I think that regardless of the methodology you’re using you won’t find the sort of international recognition you’re hoping for. That’s because the nature of homeschooling is a double-edged sword: it gives you the ability to individualize, customize, respond and adapt to your child’s needs, but it also takes place without rigidity of oversight, quality control and a standardization that makes for the sort of quantifiable results that would garner international recognition. You won’t be able to walk into a college admissions office in 15 years and say “We used this method and this course of study” and have them accept that as a testament to the strength of your ds’s education. But there will be plenty of other ways to present the strength of his education, whether by portfolio, community college or distance-education transcripts, standardized testing, umbrella-school credits or what-have-you. I think you should just focus on your child and his needs in the here and now, and let go of the idea of having some sort of methodology that will impress future colleges. I wouldn’t even start thinking about post-secondary options in the vaguest way until he’s ten or twelve: partly because I’ve seen how much the whole picture has changed over the past couple of decades and partly because it just doesn’t matter at this point. What matters is the two-year-old you have in your home right now.

2

Clare On Sunday, July 20 at 8:14 am

I believe the kind of thing you are thinking of might be something like taking British school exams at age 16 and 18. This is possible around the world. ( http://www.britishcouncil.org ) and the qualifications are readily accepted worldwide. However, I’d agree with the idea that looking into what’s still available in few years time will be more helpful to you. Enjoy the first few years with your child without too much worry.

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Natalie On Sunday, July 20 at 9:30 am

I was homeschooled internationally and definitely ARE systems that allow for international recognition and that give you certified transcripts. We used the Calvert School in Baltimore, MD. You get your curriculum from them, and have a resource teacher too who does the final term grading. I was accepted into a top national university and both me and my parents speak highly of them.

That is a very interesting question, the point of homeschooling would be that it is an alternative to regular “in-class” schooling. I think you may have touched on the question: “What exactly is a home-school.?” And for every homeschooling family, there can not be a single answer to that question… the very nature of it is that it favors the individual and unique nature of each family. That being said as your child approaches the final years of high-school you can align his studies in the direction of a college application if that is his dream. However who knows what a school leaver’s requirements will be like in eighteen years time. For now I would play with your little guy, engage and play to your hearts content. All the while reading as much as you can about homeschooling so that you can figure out what is available to you where you are, discover what methods and materials resonate with you and discard the ones that don’t. Wishing you all the best on your homeschooling journey with your little one…

5

Julie On Sunday, July 20 at 7:30 pm

Mexico like everyone to be educated under the SEP. To my knowledge, they do not approve any homeschool programs. However, there are legal groups in Mexico that fight for homeschooling, but it can be a challenge.

If your child is Mexican and needs to get or renew his passport, the SRE will likely require enrollment in a SEP school to get it. We got our kids their Mexican ppts before starting elementary school (because they aren’t such sticklers with kinder). We haven’t tried renewing yet, but I know of people who have had problems. You can skirt the problem by renewing the Mexican ppt at a Mexican embassy in a different country.

If you have connections in the SEP, its possible you can go through a homeschool program that’s affiliated with a school in another country, get all the documents translated and apostilled, and get them approved by the SEP. Another option is when your child is 12 or 13 they can test out of Mexican primaria (through INEA?).

6

Joyce On Sunday, July 20 at 9:17 pm

Hi Ree,
This comment has nothing to do with the subject. I wanted to get the date right. So anyway I Watched your show today, Sunday, cooking around the world. I had to make the Chicken Piccata, I cooked more chicken, more wine, and stock. Then cream, it was sooooo good. My son said that if he didn’t know better, he would have thought it came from a Restuarant!!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes. I love the building, and your chandelier is beautiful. Like you! Have a great week!

7

Rachel Harrel On Sunday, July 20 at 11:06 pm

I think that realizing the the potential of a child to read at an early age is a great gift in homeschooling anywhere. If English is your son’s primary language I would recommend a wonderful book called Teach your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. This is a great book. It can be purchased on Amazon and and with simple 20 minute per day lessons that you can easily do with a child as young as 3 1/2 years it will take your child to a 2nd grade reading level. Teaching your child to read is the best gift you can give him in pursuing his own interests. I used this book with my now 7 year old and my now 5 year old. They both read chapter books far beyond those their peers would read and can pursue their own interests. If I can’t find my 5 year old it is because he has disappeared into a corner with a book. He does this multiple times everyday and it delights me.

Best wishes on the wonderful journey that you have ahead. Oh, and your son will turn out fine! My husband and I were both home schooled all 12 years. We are well adjusted. My husband went on to law school and is now an attorney. I have a BA in history and now I am a stay at home/home schooling mother. I have so much appreciation for the work and sacrifices of our parents to home school us back before it was cool.

8

Katerina On Monday, July 21 at 12:01 am

I’m living in the Netherlands and helped a friend who homeschools with information to get her kids to start university here in the Netherlands. The admission office of the Dutch universities will look into the grades and if your child did advanced/honor classes. Homeschooling is seen similar to public schools, but it helps if you followed some curriculum/courses the admission office can check out online in comparison to do it by yourself from scratch (like if you would do the easypeasy homeschooling curriculum). It really depends on where you want to go international. By the time your son reaches that age everything may have changed I would keep it in mind and ask that question again in 10-14 years.

We are in London now….but still report to our school district in NY. We have friends here, Floridians who home educate but they don’t report anywhere – since when they go back to the States they will not be going to FL. We are homeschooling veterans who may have started out with the same naive concerns, but now we don’t care about reporting (do the minimum!) or impressing colleges a decade from now with “records”. If one home educates properly, their kids will fly off the charts and never have a problem with possible school or college admittance. Colleges only look at the high school years as far as I can remember so worrying about this at age 2 is a bit nuts. Fear not, it’s the kids who go to school who actually end up with vastly limited options/experience…

Mom111 On Wednesday, August 6 at 11:13 am

Agree!

10

Elisabeth On Monday, July 21 at 6:27 am

Hi, I live and work in Nairobi, Kenya. We considered homeschooling for high school; and seriously looked into http://www.northstar-academy.org/ (they do grades 5 – 12). There are lots of other schools that do the same, but you will need to google and research for your specific needs. In the end, after considering all the options, we did a private local Christian American school, which is working out great.

11

NicoleZavala On Monday, July 21 at 7:09 am

K12 has a homeschool program that is internationally recognized I believe its something close to $200 a month (around $4000 a year) but it includes all material/books/etc and half of the schooling is done on line with you as the “learning coach” and half off computer with activities/bookwork/etc. They also hook you up with an accredited teacher for academic/technical support but it is still under your control you can choose what you want to do or don’t do as long as you meet basic educational requirements and complete the standardized test which I believe starts after 3rd grade). We are in the same boat as you but we are doing the free version of k12 which requires a US address looks like a great program and keeps the kids (and your) options open for later in life. And removes the guesswork of accreditation/recognization.

12

Gina On Monday, July 21 at 7:47 am

At such an early age, don’t start on academics now! This is the time for children to be learning social skills by playing with other children, learning confidence by exploring their environments, and getting practice in all those wonderful new physical skills that are coming along. And certainly read, read, read, play, play, play, and sing, sing, sing — in one or more languages! You will know when your child is ready for more structured academic work, whether that happens at age 4, 5, 6, or 7, and then, wherever you find yourself living at the time, you can determine which type of curriculum is the best for your situation.

13

Lizzie Anne On Monday, July 21 at 5:08 pm

I believe the University of Nebraska High School program is internationally recognized & has been in existence for many years, way before many of us ever heard of homeschooling!

What I am about to say will sound rude; it is not meant to be. But, I have seen it happen too many times. I will only suggest that you not get caught up in the competition among some parents to have their kids reading by 2 or 3 – probably before they are really ready – as a status symbol for you. Frustration and feelings of never been good enough can be the result. It has been shown that by the time children are about 4th to 6th grades, there is little to no difference between kids who read really early and those who started reading at traditional ages. They are ready when THEY are ready, not when the surrounding adults think they should be.
Let him be a toddler doing the usual toddler activities. This ultimately cute time of his life won’t last long and you’ll miss it when it’s past.

Angela B On Monday, July 21 at 8:57 pm

Eileen,
Thank you. Early training for a 2 year old is a little much.

JT On Tuesday, July 22 at 9:37 pm

Could not agree with you more. It’s what I was thinking while reading the original question, but didn’t want to say it! Thank you for stating it in a non-judgmental way. I don’t think it will change this parent’s mind, but it needs to be said nonetheless.

15

Cathy On Thursday, July 31 at 5:28 am

Play with the little guy! Love him, read to him, watch bugs together! Let him get muddy and dirty in the yard. Let him play until the fireflies come out, then let him soak in a bathtub full of bubbles, then (best of all) hold him tightly while you read a story together. Pray. Sleep. Repeat.

16

Mom111 On Wednesday, August 6 at 10:57 am

Read John holt s ‘teach your own’ first and foremost. Second, at this age you let the baby be a baby. Sesame Street, and other shows will be fine to introduce the basics. I’d be careful to make education a fake separate compulsory part of life. Natural learning is best when it can be used. While Montessori method is basically following her principle which is “control the environment, not the child”. She believed in providing a rich and stimulating atmosphere full of shelves of books, games, artwork and supplies,musical instruments, lots of nature exposure. You don’t want to be a over controlling force in your kids life. You can unschool or keep life and learning as close as possible……and your kids still do all they need to meet requirements, etc…. Without coercion , without feeling inadequate or pressured all the time. Kids should never be anxious about how smart they are or what they do or don’t know . They have their whole lives to learn , and studies show that when you force people to learn when they aren’t interested in a subject, they will not retain it. I think the parent having a positive relaxed mindset it utterly important. An anxious mom that talks too much at her kid can do alot do damage. Let them be. Live your life and don’t make the kid the focus of your anxiety. There are so many ways to learn these days, as your kid is older they will find what they like best for themselves. As they are little just use fun games , shows, toys, art supplies, …Leapster brand handheld device, Nintendo ds, iPad, computer. You’ll be fine!

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